The 16 Best Blender Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

Smoothie enthusiasts know the importance of having a blender in your home. These powerful little machines can turn your favorite ingredients into purees within seconds — whether you're making a warm, creamy squash soup or an ice cold strawberry banana smoothie. And if you're shopping for your first blender, you will have to consider what kinds of features you are willing to pay for. 

Do you want a personal compact blender that can do single-serving smoothies, or are you investing in a professional-grade machine that has a higher horsepower, larger container, and more industrial appearance? Do you want a blender with a removable blade for seamless cleaning, or can you settle for cramming your hand into a blender when it's time to do the dishes? We've done some of the heavy lifting for you when it comes to searching for your new kitchen blender. We ranked these brands on several factors including variation in product sizes, functions, reliability, and price. Here are some of our favorite (and least favorite) blender brands.

If you're looking for a retro blender to match your stand mixer, Smeg is your gal. Smeg offers both personal and standard blender sizes for your kitchen with the same bright, colorful design. You can find a range of machine colors in everything from pastel blue to a collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana called "Sicily is my love." The personal blender comes in at 300 watts while the standard blenders are 800 watts. Both of these machines have comparatively lower wattage than other blenders. This means less power to puree your smoothies or break up ice pieces in your blender.

Although this machine may be aesthetically pleasing to look at, its quality is much more poor than other machines. Customers on the Williams and Sonoma website note that the blenders tend to leak with seemingly no resolution. This is likely tied to the design of the product, which uses compression to attach the blade rather than a screw-in. One Williams and Sonoma reviewer noted that when the blender is in operation, the movement of the machine shook the gasket loose and caused the seal to break.

Shardor is limited because it only offers two types of personal blenders rather than more standard options than its competitors. The Shardor portable blender comes in at less than 3 pounds and features two bottles for easy travel. The original personal model comes in at less than $30 while the higher-wattage model is less than $60, at the time of this publication. Stepping up to the Shardor standard personal blender doubles the power to 350 watts for crushing through frozen berries. The machine also uses a one-touch operation for smoothies in under 10 seconds.

Amazon reviewers have noted that Shardor personal blenders decline in durability after a few months. Small pieces of plastic were reported by an Amazon reviewer to have broken off into the machine. The bottleneck shape of the container is also difficult in ensuring that all of the fruit and liquid is equally mixed in a smoothie. You might find yourself forcefully shaking the bottle to ensure all of the contents makes contact with the blade.

Hamilton Beach is a popular appliance brand for everything from stand-mixers to toasters. The brand's blenders are cost-effective for many buyers and including both personal and full-sized blender options starting at $29.99, at the time of publication, for a standard blender. Like NutriBullet, Hamilton Beach offers cordless models for on-the-go blending, as well as some of the features of more higher-end blender options like a sound shield for quiet blending and a glass container instead of conventional plastic. The Hamilton Beach 1800-watt machine, which has more horsepower than its competitors, is priced at nearly half the cost of other brands ($269.99 at the time of publication).

While Hamilton Beach is certainly affordable, it receives poor scores for its reliability and durability. The SmoothieSmart blender received an average 3.5 star review from almost 400 customers on Amazon with the most common complaints being a burning smell from the machine and a flimsy lid. TechGearLab reports similar complaints on its test of the standard blender model, which could "catastrophically leak" if the bottom was even a smidge unsealed.

Wolf Gourmet is likely already out of your price-range for personal blenders. At close to $700, at the time of publication, you are paying for the Wolf Gourmet logo. The brand doesn't offer any personal blending models — just the 64-ounce monster on your countertop.

There are some positive features on this machine that we absolutely love. The machine is made of all stainless steel, so it is guaranteed to last a very long time. Wolf Gourmet also offers some of the highest horsepower motors from any blender we've reviewed at nearly 1800 watts. You'll also receive a sleek LED control panel and five-year warranty. In Wolf fashion, you'll also find a classy red knob for four-program options including ice crushing, smoothies, purees, and soups.

The high price-tag and limited function of this machine puts it comparatively low on our list. If you want to invest so much money into a machine, find a brand that will devote the price toward superior function rather than just looks and a name.

Oster is a popular, moderately-priced appliance brand. Its kitchen blenders include plastic and glass containers at around the every size from the standard 6-cup to personal blenders with a lid for on-the-go blending. The machines wattage can vary from 800 watts to 1200 watts. You'll also find a wider array of functions on these machines with settings for liquifying, pulsing, blending, and chopping.

GadgetReview notes that you won't find the same reliability from a budget brand like Oster that you would find from a Vitamix or a BlendTec. The website recommends purchasing the 1200 model for its seven-function control and ease of operating. The container is made of Boroglass making it more durable (and dishwasher safe) than other plastic containers. GadgetReview notes that Oster's plastic containers have been shown to break easily and with minimal use. The wattage is not as high as other machines, so you can't expect it to offer the most seamless pureeing experience in the world.

Hurmon is commonly associated with an extensive line of juicers, but how does the brand's only blender work out? According to reviewers, quite favorably. The Hurom Hexa is priced at $349, at the time of publication, making it about the same price as other blenders by its competitors. There are three pre-programed options for soup, smoothies, and crushing ice, as well as an automatic safety shutoff to prevent the motor from overheating.

The downsides to shopping with Hurom include its limited options for blender sizes (Hurom doesn't make a smaller personal blender) and its shape. Several customers on the brand's website have complained that there is no way to remove the stainless steel blades on the bottom of the container for a deep cleaning. If you're trying to make single-portion smoothies, this blender is much too big and can take up unnecessary counter space. But, if you want excellent customer service on the care of your blender and plan to puree hot soups for upwards of five minutes, this is the blender to purchase.

As a brand, Breville offers several excellent products including some of the best espresso machines that we've previously ranked. Breville offers four blenders in its lineup, including cordless, personal, and standard blenders. The wattage on these machines is on-par with more premium machines we've reviewed, which means you'll find that these machines produce smooth soups, smoothies, and everything in between.

The to-go containers for Breville machines are also BPA-free and include assist-pull lids for easy removal. We also love the aesthetic design of the Breville blenders, especially the red velvet cake color. Breville is priced around the median of the brands we ranked, but there are some limitations for its machines. According to Juicing Journal, it is not recommended to blend hot soups in any of the Breville machines because it may melt the inner lid. The Juicing Journal also found that the machine won't grind flour as well as others.

InstantHome is most well-known for its InstantPot machines, but you should be paying attention to its blenders too. The InstantAce blender is priced competitively, compared to other machines in its class, at less than $80, at the time of publication. You'll even find an ice machine function on this 56-ounce machine. Although this model is the only one Instant offers, it does not skimp on quality. The wattage comes in around 700, which is on-par with other similarly-sized blenders. There are eight options for hot, cold, and frozen selections, so you can blend at any temperatures with the tempered glass container. Unlike other brands, InstantHome offers a temperature sensor and timer built in to the machine.

So, what do reviewers think of this nifty machine? The machine scored an average 4.5 stars from 3500 reviewers on Amazon. Reviewers would have liked to see a removable feature on the machine for better ease of cleaning. At around 25 pounds, this machine and its container are also heavier than other standard mixers.

KitchenAid blenders do not disappoint in the aesthetic department. You'll find three blenders in its arsenal: the K400, K150, and high-performance Pro-line model. These machines are priced in the lower-to-medium end of the cost spectrum at $100, $300 to $400, and around $600, respectively at the time of publication. Like the more expensive models, you can purchase a refurbished model to save a few bucks.

KitchenAid products aren't the top-scoring products compared to Vitamix. Per RTings, KitchenAid have a less-powerful motor than the Vitamix, so you won't get the same puréeing capacity. RTings also notes that the KitchenAid is difficult to clean and depending on the model, can be more bulky and heavy than other machines. KitchenAid bases are made of heavy-duty plastic and metal, meaning that the machine is reliable and resistant to everyday wear and tear. KitchenAid doesn't offer any smaller personal blenders, though, so you will have to deal with all of KitchenAid's machines taking up a lot of space on your countertop.

Black & Decker manufacturers everything from power-tools to blenders apparently. You'll find several options for blenders including both personal and standard kitchen blender appliances. You can purchase variability in the functionality of these machines from four-speed to 10-speed options, as well as both glass and plastic container options. Unlike other brands, Black & Decker manufacturers a "quiet blender" that the brand claims will crunch ice with both ease and minimal noise.

Black & Decker is one of the most affordable blender brands on the market, but you will sacrifice quality for price. The machine base is made almost entirely plastic, which makes it budget-friendly but always at risk of chipping or breaking more easily than stainless steel or a more durable material. The wattage of the Black & Deckers is also not as powerful as other brands, which means that you won't have as smooth a purée as other blenders.

Nutribullet is one of the most popular brands for personal blenders. The original, super-compact NutriBullet rings in at $79.99 while its larger blender is priced competitively at $119.99, at the time of publication. What we love about Nutribullet is that you can purchase a machine with features fit to your liking — and your price point. The Nutribullet Pro+, for example, includes a 1200-watt motor and greater functionality than the more compact original Nutribullet. Unlike other brands, Nutribullet also offers a cordless machine for smoothies-on-the-go that only requires charging after about 20 uses.

Nutribullet is a great blender brand for a first-time buyer or someone who makes single-serving smoothies occasionally and doesn't want to spend the money on a more expensive Vitamix or BlendTec. All of the Nutribullets come with a one-year warranty as well and are priced significantly lower than professional models. The price, however, reflects some of the issues in durability of Nutribullet products compared to the top performing products on our list. The inclusion and variety of Nutribullet's blenders gives the brand high marks on our list.

Ninja offers a range of personal blenders, standard blenders, and multi-use appliances. The NinjaFoodi Power Blender does the work of a blender, food processor, and stand mixer all-in-one machine — and for less than $300 at the time of publication. The NinjaTwisti is a hybrid between the personal blender and the standard blender (perfect for the indecisive among us) and costs less than $140 at the time of publication. Both of these machines are great deals — especially for folks who don't want to give up kitchen space for several bulky appliances.

Ninja receives a favorable score for the variation in its products and functionality. Its products are more affordable than other blender brands, and would be a great wedding or housewarming gift for someone. Ninja does fall behind compared to our top scoring brand, however, in terms of owner satisfaction and reliability, as noted by Consumer Reports. But with the price of a Ninja, you can purchase several before you come close to the price of a single Vitamix or BlendTec.

Cuisinart is a popular brand for kitchen appliances, whether you're shopping for a stand mixer, coffee maker, or a blender. You'll find a range of blender products from Cuisinart including personal benders, cordless compact blenders, and dual-models that can act as both a food processor and blender. Cuisinarts are relatively affordable machines that offer a relatively strong degree of durability over time. You can purchase your machine based on the desired wattage — Cuisinart offers everything from 350 watts to close to 2600 watts. 

Cuisinart's highest-performing Hurricane Pro offers the greatest horsepower of any machine we ranked. However, the sheer speed and power of the Hurricane Pro comes at a cost, as noted by TechGearLab, which can warp quicker than other machines and does not offer any noise-cancelling measures that would make the machine more user-friendly. At $400 at the time of publication, the Hurricane Pro would be our suggestion to purchase if you are dead-set on a Cuisinart. Reviewers on Amazon noticed other positive characteristics of the 32-ounce, 350-watt machine: The machine received an average rating of 4.5 stars from over 3,000 reviewers with the most favorable results for the ease-of-use and ease-of-cleaning.

Zwilling offers a limited selection of blenders with only the standard blender and a personal model. The prices are in-line with other blender brands, so how does the performance of this machine compare to others? 

TechAdvisor gives the Zwilling Enfinigy Power blender major props for its aesthetic design. This machine is sleek, has a light-up dial (for easy use in the dark), and will look beautiful in almost any kitchen. The standard model has five preset options for cocktails, smoothies, and pulsing. Plus, you won't have to sacrifice looks for quality on this machine. The personal and standard blender both offer superior quality, high-horsepower motors, and the option to purchase a five-year warranty on the machine when you buy from the brand's website. 

Home and Gardens reviewed the Zwilling Enfinigy Power blender and found the biggest complaint was that the container did not come with multiple jugs. Although this machine container is dishwasher safe, Home and Gardens recommends hand-washing to preserve the condition of the plastic. Overall, this model doesn't come with the status of a Vitamix or a BlendTec, but the design of the blender is unprecedented. 

BlendTec offers a range of high-powered and professional blenders for home use. The classic series blenders run just shy of $400 while the pro series clocks in at close to $800, at the time of publication. The professional machines from BlendTec includes pre-programmed options, an 11-speed motor, and collapsible sound container while the lower-end models feature some of the same bells-and-whistles, minus the noise proofing capabilities with half the wattage on the motor.

The BlendTec rivals the Vitamix for cost, reliability, and professional design. The New York Times reports more favorable results from the Vitamix 5200 especially in an emulsification test, but the BlendTec Designer 675 has a wider bottom on its machines, which can alter the contact the materials in the blender make with the rest of the liquid. The result, although minute, can mean ineffective blending. The New York Times also notes that the BlendTec is slightly more expensive than the Vitamix machines, and if you're paying around $400 for an appliance, you probably want it to be the best possible machine.

The Vitamix brand is by far the top contender for the best blender award. Vitamix manufactures several blenders including for kitchen professionals in home cooks including the Vitamix One, Explorian series, Legacy series, and the top-tier Ascent series. For folks not looking to drop any more than $400 on a blender, Vitamix offers certified reconditioned machines with a three-to-five year warranty for some of their top-of-the-line machines. The brand claims you'll get the same products as the new blenders with the security of a 17-point inspection.

Vitamix has been awarded top accolades for its functionality and utility. Our favorite model is the Vitamix 750 Professional Series thanks to its 2.2-horsepower motor that can easily grind oat flour, make powdered sugar from granulated sugar, or blend your morning smoothie. If you are looking for a more amateur machine, the Vitamix One is the starter-model with a single dial and compact container cavity.

The biggest complaint with the Vitamix brand is with no doubt the cost. But, if you want the blender you'll be able to pass down to future generations of smoothie enthusiasts, this is the one to go with.